Pemra bans 'immoral' condom advertisement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Monday banned an advertisement by a condom brand, calling it “immoral” and contrary to socio-religious norms after receiving a deluge of complaints from the public.

Pakistan, a Muslim country of around 200 million, is strait-laced when it comes to matters of sex and family planning is considered a taboo topic by many.

The condom company, Josh, was previously slapped with a ban two years ago after airing a humorous but risque advertisement featuring a leading model.

Fakhar-ud-Din Mughal, a spokesman for Pemra, said the agency had received “scores of complaints against the telecast of an objectionable and indecent advertisement of contraceptive”.

“PEMRA, in its directive has pointed out that the advertisement is generally being perceived as indecent, immoral and in sheer disregard to our socio-cultural and religious norms,” he added.

Discussing contraception in public is taboo in Pakistan’s deeply conservative Muslim society, though some experts warn the population is growing too fast for the country’s natural resources to support.

According to the United Nations a third of Pakistanis have no access to birth control even though its population is growing by more than two percent a year.